Our Hope: The Poor Shall Not Perish

“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.” Psalm 9:17-18 (NKJV)

As we watch current events throughout the world we live in, it is sometimes difficult to keep our heads up. We easily take our eyes off of the LORD, and His promises to us, His people. Fear and distrust rise up quickly, and all to easily. And we begin to look at people differently. All people.

Yet, God has made promises. And if you have been following Him for any length of time, you know He always delivers on anything He has promised. He is not a cruel God, and is not a God who plays with His people. He is a God who knows WHO HE IS! And as such, He follows His own dictates, which is to be the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Always. And Psalm 9 tells us just what God will do, on behalf of His faithful.

We have seen throughout history how the poor have been downtrodden. Even those who belong to Christ have been mistreated, have experienced oppression, and misery. Yet God has still been faithful to them in many ways. As the church signs proclaim, ‘He never promised us a perfect flight; but He has promised us a safe landing.’

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God” (Matthew 5:3).

“Poor” people are not always people who are financially strapped. Not by any means. Poor has different definitions, two of which are, per Merriam-Webster:

Poor: 1) less than adequate: meager, 2) small in worth

By man’s standards, many are small in worth. Some ascribe worth as educated, wealthy, socially elite. But God’s standards are so much different. God values those who value Him. He assigns worth to those who follow Him, who love one another, who follow His commandments. He lifts the heads of those who are poor, and yet rejoice in their circumstances. Worth is a different word in the dictionary of God, just as poor is. God blesses the poor, whether in the physical realm, or in the spiritual realm, if they are looking to Him for guidance and sustenance. He will never let the poor who are His perish.

“Arise, O LORD, do not let man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your sight, put them in fear, O LORD, that the nations may know themselves to be but men.” Psalm 9:19-20

The psalmist is talking about nations of men. And he is expounding on the promises of God to lift up His people, to deliver them from the wickedness of the nations, and to hand out the vengeance that only He has the right to give. While we do not fight against flesh and blood, but the powers of the air, He will see His people avenged, protected, and that they see justice. He will make sure the nations know they have no real power. The wicked will know He is God. They will bow down at His feet one day, and acknowledge He is King.

God is Our Hope. He always has been, He is, and He always will be. We need look no further than His Son Jesus, who came to this fallen world to bring us the hope that comes from the Father. He will lift us up, He will be our avenger, He will teach us how to love the unlovable, and how to accept His grace. We do not need to walk in fear, but in the security of Who it is we belong to … Our Hope.

Have you ever felt like you were among the poorest of the poor? What persecution have you experienced because of it? If so, please go to www.mystoryofgrace.com and share with us your story, and your victory.

About Lili

Lili lives in central North Carolina. She writes devotionals and Christian articles and has been published in e-magazines, newsletters, and articles. She is a member of Faithwriters.com. She and her husband Chuck love to travel, and are animal lovers as well. They are active in their local church, where she teaches the Senior Adult Sunday School class, and he serves as a deacon. Lili credits God for any inspiration that allows her to write. It's all about Him!